Regional Intergration Key To Unlocking Africa’s Economic Potential

By Shingirai Vambe

At the recently held CEO Africa Roundtable, former Zimbabwe Deputy Prime Minister Professor Arthur Mutambara delivered a powerful and thought-provoking address on global politics and economics, calling for a united, self-reliant, and strategically integrated Africa that can stand toe-to-toe with the world’s superpowers.

Speaking during a session titled “From Geopolitics to Geoeconomics”, Mutambara challenged African leaders and business executives to rethink the continent’s place in the evolving global order. He argued that Africa must shift from being a passive participant in international affairs to becoming a decisive player shaping its own destiny.

“We must move from geopolitics to geoeconomics, from political dependency to economic strategy,” Mutambara said. “We will not make it as Zimbabwe, Nigeria, or South Africa alone. We will only make it as Africa.”

Mutambara emphasized that the era of fragmented nationalism must give way to continental unity, underpinned by shared economic goals, industrialization, and technology-driven growth. He painted a bold vision of an Africa speaking with one voice, one that commands respect from global powers.

“Imagine calling Washington or Beijing and saying, ‘I speak on behalf of 1.4 billion Africans, representing a collective GDP of $3.4 trillion and the richest reserves of critical minerals on earth.’ The world will listen,” he declared.

Drawing on historical lessons from global power shifts, Mutambara said the world is transitioning from traditional geopolitics, where nations project influence through military and political might, to geoeconomics, where trade, technology, and finance determine the balance of power.

He warned that Africa risks being left behind in this transformation if it fails to unite, invest in artificial intelligence, and leverage its vast mineral wealth.

Mutambara also criticized the West’s dominance over global technology and data systems, urging African nations to develop their own AI and digital infrastructure that reflect African values and serve African interests.

“There is a battle for control of artificial intelligence between America and China. Where is Africa in that conversation? We must build our own systems, our own knowledge base, our own agenda,” he said.

The professor further called for continental industrialization, beneficiation of natural resources, and the strengthening of intra-African value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.

He pointed to China’s rapid development as a lesson in national vision, discipline, and strategic investment, arguing that Africa’s success will depend on strong leadership, integration, and a shared long-term agenda.

“Unity is not a luxury, it is existential,” Mutambara said. “Without integration, Africa will remain a pawn in the global chessboard of power.”

His passionate address resonated with the conference’s central theme, how Africa can reposition itself in a changing world dominated by economic blocs, shifting alliances, and digital revolutions.

As the audience of business leaders, economists, and policymakers applauded, one message echoed, Africa must rise, not as 54 individual nations, but as one collective force capable of shaping global destiny.